Bubba Wallace’s exceptional performance at the Homestead-Miami Speedway practice session for the Cup Series set the tone for the day. He was the fastest among the first group of drivers out on the track, clocking a top speed of 166.955mph on his inaugural lap. Wallace maintained this momentum throughout his 24-lap run, securing the fastest overall position.
Hot on Wallace’s heels was Erik Jones, who registered the second highest speed at 166.826mph. Interestingly, Jones also clocked his best performance on his first lap, mirroring Wallace’s feat. Other notable performances include third-placer Kyle Larson, who notched a speed of 166.713 mph, and Noah Gragson, who came in fourth at 166.626.mph. Rounding off the top five was Christopher Bell with a speed of 166.507mph.
The top 10 was completed by Chase Briscoe (166.466mph), Alex Bowman (166.328mph), Denny Hamlin (166.287mph), Tyler Reddick (166.220mph), and Michael, who secured the tenth spot with a speed of 166.077mph.
In other NASCAR updates, Kyle Larson commenced his bid for a Miami sweep with a Truck Series victory. Meanwhile, Berry and the Wood Brothers are not done winning according to Blaney. NASCAR also clarified rules regarding pitting in another team’s stall.
Reddick, the previous winner at Homestead-Miami, will be defending his title this year. The race was last held in fall 2024. Other noteworthy mentions from the practice session include Ryan Blaney in 12th place, Ross Chastain in 15th, William Byron — the points leader — in 17th, Kyle Busch in 20th, Brad Keselowski 27th, Ty Gibbs in 30th, Josh Berry in 31st, Joey Logano 32nd and Chase Elliott trailing in 33rd place.
The practice session wasn’t without its hitches, as Erik Jones reported running over an object that caused damage to his Toyota’s underbody. His team is presently working on repairs before the qualifying round.
The Homestead-Miami Speedway will play host to 37 teams, including 36 charter teams and the Open team of JJ Yeley.
In the best 10 consecutive lap average, Wallace shone once again, leading the pack ahead of Hamlin, Larson, Blaney, and Gragson. Elliott ran the most laps (41), while Yeley ran the fewest (12).
The next event on the schedule is the Cup Series qualifying, which began at 2:10 p.m. ET. As the anticipation builds, all eyes will be on the track to see if the drivers can match or better their practice session performances.